Nomination of Rebecca L. Taibleson

Floor Speech

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Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I want to thank Chaplain Black for his reminding all of us about the government shutdown and how irregular it is and how we aren't helping people that government would normally be helping.

Today, we will vote on Ms. Rebecca Taibleson, the nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, so I want to take a few minutes to express my support for her nomination.

Ms. Taibleson is highly qualified. She will be serving on the Seventh Circuit. Her resume speaks for itself. She attended top schools and demonstrated academic excellence. She clerked for two Supreme Court Justices--Justice Scalia and now-Justice Kavanaugh when he was on the DC Circuit.

She has extensive experience in both private practice and public service. She has been a Federal prosecutor for nearly a decade and currently serves as appellate chief for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. As a prosecutor, she protected her community from violent criminals and the scourge of narcotics. She is also a member of the Attorney General's Review Committee on Capital Cases.

During the first Trump administration, she worked on detail in the Solicitor General's Office. She drafted numerous briefs and presented oral argument to the U.S. Supreme Court. Her former colleagues in the Justice Department wrote to the Judiciary Committee, commending Ms. Taibleson for tackling some of the most difficult legal questions facing the country and doing so with very thoughtful leadership.

Most importantly, Ms. Taibleson has consistently demonstrated her steadfast commitment to upholding the rule of law, even at personal cost. Two moments in her career particularly illustrate her willingness to take positions even at personal cost.

In 2018, she spoke publicly in defense of Justice Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court. She chose to stand up and to speak the truth even though she knew that she would become embroiled in that public spectacle that the Kavanaugh nomination brought to the country. Ms. Taibleson's voice during that testimony was courageous and very instrumental in Justice Kavanaugh's confirmation.

The same dedication to the rule of law was evident during her time in the Solicitor General's Office. She raised her hand to handle complex and important cases on behalf of the United States without regard to political pressure or personal benefit. Standing up for the rule of law without fear or favor is exactly what we should want to see in our Federal judges. I see those attributes in Ms. Taibleson.

Ms. Taibleson will make an outstanding judge, and I know she will serve the people of Wisconsin and the Seventh Circuit with distinction. President Trump made an excellent selection for this seat, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting her nomination.

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